


I'll Love You Through Hell and Back

by bethylloverforever



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - No Zombies, Angst, Anxiety, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Hurt Daryl, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pissed off Rick, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Rick, Rape Recovery, Rick & Lori amicable divorce, Suicidal Thoughts, non-canon, traumatized Daryl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-09-07 20:16:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8814781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethylloverforever/pseuds/bethylloverforever
Summary: Rick and Daryl are happily married, living in King County, Georgia. Daryl leaves on his annual two week hunting trip, but it doesn't go as planned. Daryl can't remember, and doesn't want to remember, the two weeks he was gone, while Rick wants vengeance for what happened to his husband.
(I suck at summaries)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Tags will be added as needed. Please watch for additional tags.
> 
> This story comes from a dream I had a few months ago, and it just would not leave me. It's been churning in my mind since then. Basically, what I remember about my dream is Chapter 1 and will be part of Chapter 2. 
> 
> Credit and a huge thank you given to the awesome Starfire_Wildheart for helping me to get this story started. I knew what I wanted, but just couldn't find the right words to get this rolling. She wrote a wonderful beginning to the story, which I used as inspiration, and some parts directly from what she wrote.
> 
> Also a huge shout out and thanks to the Rickyl Writer's Group for their encouragement and suggestions. Without them, I would never have been brave enough to take on a story like this.
> 
> I will not have a regular posting schedule for this story. I can almost guarantee it will take me awhile to post chapters. Since this is such a serious topic, I want to do it justice and accurately (if possible).
> 
> *OC Earl is based on a WWII vet from my home town. No disrespect intended with the name 'Crazy Earl' given by the children of the town.

Katy walked down the street toward the library, wondering again what possessed her to think a walk in the midday sun was a good idea. It was late September, but the temperature and humidity of this unusually warm autumn day made it feel like mid-July. She stopped in the shade of the giant oak tree that was in the empty lot across the street from King County library to finish her cigarette. 

 

She studied the building across the street from her, still fascinated at the old train station that had been converted to the town’s library. The front half was a small museum dedicated to the history of the King County. The back half was a very small library, and one of Katy’s favorite places to visit in the small town. Other than the local bar she worked closing shifts at, there really wasn’t much else to do in the small town.

 

Katy heard a rustling sound behind her, and turned to find an old tarp laying atop of a couple of barrels the source of the noise. The local kids often played in the empty lot and would build forts out of whatever junk they could find and drag to the lot. Sometimes, their forts would be a temporary home for Old Man Earl, or ‘Crazy Earl’ as the kids and some of the adults called him. He was a Vietnam Vet that obviously suffered from PTSD. He often spent his days walking up and down Main Street talking to anyone that would give him a few moments of their time. Katy enjoyed the chats with the older man, and looked out for him the best she could. He had his own apartment his daughter paid for, but some nights he preferred to sleep outdoors, usually in the empty lot.

 

Katy noticed bare feet sticking out from under the tarp. “It’s too hot for Earl to be out here right now,” she said to herself. The least she could do was check on him and make sure he had water to drink, food to eat, and wasn’t overheated. As she got closer, she noticed the man was laying on his stomach, completely naked and not moving. She reached out with her foot and nudged against his leg.

 

“Earl, you alright?” The man didn’t move.

 

“Damn it,” she huffed and moved to the other end by his head to lift the tarp and check on him. That was when she noticed the shoulder length dark hair on the man, not the short silver buzz cut Earl wore.

 

Katy slowly reached out and shook the man’s shoulder, noticing the old scars on his back, and the demon tattoo on his right shoulder. She knew she’d seen that tattoo before.

 

She brushed the hair away from the man’s face. When she saw who it was, she jerked the hand away from the man and fell back onto her ass. “Oh my God, Daryl!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry to have not posted anything in like 8 months or so. I've just had a rough time lately with illnesses, my dad, dealing with a lot of physical pain, my job. Well, life in general I guess.

It took Katy just a few seconds to get herself pulled together from finding her friend like this--naked and unconscious lying under a makeshift fort in an empty lot. She pulled herself onto her knees and gently shook Daryl’s shoulder again. When she heard a small weak moan come from the man, she let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She checked his pulse point on his neck and was relieved to feel a strong, steady heartbeat. 

She quickly scanned his body with her eyes, trying to see what injuries he had. As her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light under the tarp, she saw what she thought were bruises covering his body. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned on the flashlight. Daryl was covered in bruises. Some looked to be older--yellow and green in color, while others looked to be pretty fresh--shades of red and purple. She noted his red and swollen left ankle and foot while she continued to access her friends condition.

Daryl was laying on his stomach, hands above his head. He had some yellow-green bruises along his left side. Katy was pretty sure from the looks of the bruising he had to have a few broken ribs, and she knew from the boot shaped bruises, they were made by someone kicking him repeatedly in the side.

Her eyes settled on the rainbow colored handprint-shaped bruises along his hips, buttocks, and thighs. She gasped and covered her hand with her mouth, eyes going wide open when she saw those bruises, afraid to think about what might have happened to Daryl for those bruises to be there. She’d seen bruises like that before, on her own body after….

She shook her head to try and clear her mind. She did not need to have a panic attack at this moment. Not know. Her friend needed her, needed her to stay professional and strong like she used to be able to do. She shut the light off from her phone and with shaking hands dialed 911, praying her friend Wendy would be the dispatcher on duty today.

“King County 911, what’s your emergency?” Katy heard Wendy say.

“Wendy, it’s Katy. I need an ambulance at the empty lot across from the library.”

Katy heard the quick intake of breath through the phone before Wendy’s professional self took back over.

“Katy, honey what’s wrong? Are you injured?”

“No, it’s not me. I… I found Daryl, Wendy. He’s naked, unconscious, and covered in bruises.” Katy continued to access the injured man while she was talking to the dispatcher.

Daryl?” Katy heard the shock in her friend’s voice. “You said he’s unconscious? Is he breathing?”

“Yes, he’s breathing, first thing I checked. Just.. please get the ambulance here. I think he’s been…” Katy couldn’t continue, the feeling of panic closing her throat off. She tried to remember to breath in through her nose and blow out gently from her mouth. She couldn’t have a panic attack now.

“Katy, sweetie, take a deep breath for me. Do your breathing, okay? I’m going to get help, but you need to stay calm. I know it’s hard to do, but I know you can do it. Just stay on the line and stay with Daryl. Get your game face back on. Isn’t that what you said you always had to do before?”

Katy shook her head, and realized Wendy couldn’t see her. “Yeah, I can do that.”

Okay, I’m going to call the ambulance now, so I’m going to have to put you on hold. Just stay on the line and I’ll get back to you, okay?”

“Okay,” she answered.

Wendy quickly dispatched the ambulance, calling them directly. She knew Rick and Shane were on duty, currently on lunch, but would still have their radio on. Being first responders themselves, procedure was to also dispatch the deputies on duty as they were closer than the ambulance located at the hospital on the other side of town. She knew if it was a loved one of hers, she wouldn’t want to find out that way, and even if she tried to be vague she knew a call of an unconscious male at the empty lot or the library would get Shane and Rick’s attention and they would respond to the call. After another deep breath, she called her father, the sheriff of King County and explained what was going on, giving him the little bit of information she had. He assured her he would contact Rick. She hung up and returned back to Katy, hands shaking as she pushed the button to reconnect her to her friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“And then, brother, I don’t think I need to tell you how the rest of the night went do I?.” Shane sat back against the car seat and grinned at Rick. Rick laughed and shook his head at his friends tale of date night with his ex-wife, now Shane’s wife, Lori.

Shane reached over the car console for one of Rick’s onion rings. “Daryl back tomorrow?”

Rick snitched one of Shane’s fries in retaliation. “Yeah, should be home sometime in the late afternoon, hopefully before I get home.”

“So that means you’ll be pretty worthless the day after. You’ve gone two weeks with only your hand to keep you company. You two fuck more than rabbits.”

Rick pushed Shane against the passenger door, “Shut up, you’re one to talk.” Rick could feel the heat creep up on his face.

“Just stating the truth, brother.” Shane grinned at Rick, “you know you can’t deny it,”

Rick tried to scowl at Shane, but couldn’t keep the smile off his face. He couldn’t deny the accusation. Sex with Daryl was incredible, and they rarely went more than two days without pleasuring each other. The two weeks a year Daryl went hunting was torture on Rick, but reminded him to appreciate being able to be with Daryl anytime they wanted. They went too many years having to hide their relationship and feelings for each other. 

Before Shane could continue to tease and embarrass his brother some more, his cell phone rang. Rick looked over with a questioning look, knowing that ring tone was for the sheriff only. Shane shrugged and answered his phone.

“Good afternoon Sheriff, how can I help you?” Rick snorted at Shane, shaking his head at him. “Suck up,” he whispered to his friend.

“Walsh, need to talk to you, but not near Grimes. It’s about Daryl.”

Shane felt his heart skip a beat as he looked over at his friend trying to keep the worry off his face. “Sure, go ahead Sheriff,” he stated as he reached for the door handle. Rick watched as Shane got out of the car and started pacing, wondering what was wrong, trying to think of anything Shane had done lately to warrant the Sheriff to call him directly, and to make Shane not want to talk near him. He’d been late last week, but other than that hadn’t had any other attendance issues, nor had he had any recent complaints from anyone they arrested. Well, none that he knew about.

The call didn’t take long, and Rick watched as Shane put his phone back in his pocket and ran his hand through his hair, a habit he did when he was nervous or worried about something. Shane looked over at him and headed back to the car. Rick felt a shudder of dread throughout his body. He opened the door and stepped out onto trembling legs, holding tight to the car with shaking hands.

“Shane, what is it? Is it Lori, the kids?”

Shane put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Rick, it’s Daryl. He’s been injured.”


End file.
